WARNING: This soap is nearly black---and with a little more Alkanet Root Powder, it would be even more so. My Mystic Soap also has a smoky, sensual, slightly "hippy" scent. I love it! I once had a lady order a whole block of it from me! But....some people don't care for it. If you don't like Patchouli, Frankincense, or exotic scents, maybe it's not for you. But I do absolutely LOVE it. And so do others, evidently. It makes me feel grounded, warm, and sexy. This is seriously one of those "love it or hate it" kind of soaps!

NOTE: There are affiliate links to items I use and love OR are on my wish list scattered throughout this article! If you happen to click through and make any kind of purchase, I will receive a very small commission at no extra cost to you! I truly and so very much appreciate your help supporting Healing Harvest Homestead! Heidi

My Black Mystic Soap also has a smoky, sensual, slightly "hippy" scent. I love it! I once had a lady order a whole block of it from me! Find out how to make this easy BLACK SOAP here!

The Lye Solution cooling down a bit. The one on the left is just water and lye, and that's what I used for this recipe. The one on the right is infused with Rooibos leaves, and I'll have a post soon on that soap.

Fragrance (Essential Oils):

**I've also added a touch of Lavender Essential oil, too---but these three ingredients are beautiful together.

Where do I buy my essential oils? Well, it depends on the use. For therapeutic use (in roller bottles, sprays, diffusers, and definitely directly on my skin) I purchase from doTerra. However, for making soap, where you need a lot more essential oil for the project, I buy from Starwest Botanicals. I've found their quality for soap making is very good, and it's a lot less expensive too.

Learn everything you need to know to start making your own natural hot process soaps with confidence...plus how to customize them the way YOU want in my new eBook!

How to Make Mystic (Frankincense, Cedarwood, Patchouli) Hot Process Soap

***The following are basic directions. If you are new to soap making, please see these extremely detailed picture tutorials because soap making using lye can be dangerous: How to Make Hot Process Soap, Lavender-Rosemary-Vanilla Hot Process Soap. Both of these articles provide VERY detailed instructions with lots of photos! I suggest reading through both if you are new to hot process soap making!

I just poured the lye solution into the melted oils and added the alkanet powder. All ready to use my handy dandy hand blender to mix to trace!

Step 1) Measure out your Oils

Using a kitchen scale, measure out your oils into your crock pot set on low. ADD YOUR ALKANET POWDER TO THE OILS NOW. It will soak up some of the oils and be easy to spread out in the blend later.

Step 2) Measure out your Lye Solution

Using a kitchen scale and a heat proof container (I prefer to use a large Pyrex glass measuring pitcher), get your lye solution ready.

To do this, measure out your water FIRST! Then measure out your lye beads. ALWAYS POUR THE LYE INTO THE WATER----NEVER the other way around! The reason is you could create a volcanic explosion and possibly burn yourself.

Step 3) Mix the Oils and Lye Solution to Trace

Once the oils are completely melted, go ahead and carefully pour the lye solution into the crock pot. Because you are doing hot process, heat is not as big of an issue as it is in cold process. Just be sure your crock pot is (and has been) on LOW, and you'll be fine.

Using your hand blender (an absolute MUST), blend the mixture to TRACE. This means the mixture will look like an opaque pudding of sorts. You should be able to create "peaks" with the mix, as you could in a medium thick pudding. (See Make Your Own Soap for pictures!)

Step 4) Cook the Soap

This is where you need to watch the soap cooking, a bit carefully, in my humble opinion. It's easy for the soap to boil over and create a dangerous caustic mess---so just be watchful. When you see it rising up the sides, go ahead and stir it down.

Then after about 5 - 10 more minutes, stir it again.

I usually give my crock pot soap at least 3 to 4 stir downs over a period of 45 minutes to an hour.

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Step 5) Check the Soap

If everything has gone as planned, then you'll see a "gel" stage in your crock pot. This is where your soap will look translucent (ish), and feel a bit waxy on the wooden spoon.

I just give my soap the "ZAP" test. I place a ball of the soap on my fingertips (be careful, because it's REALLY hot!). If it feels like hot wax, I touch it to the tip of my tongue. If I feel just plain soap, and it tastes like soap---all is well. However, if I feel a ZAP (not heat---you'll know the difference!), then something is either not right, or it's not done.

**If you've made a mistake in any of the measurements (I've done this) or left anything out (guilty again!), then you will know it. If all has gone well, you will have a crock pot full of beautiful (albeit extremely hot) waxy, translucent (ish) soap ready to go into a soap mold.

***If your soap is done---and I KNOW it is! Then NOW IS THE TIME TO ADD YOUR ESSENTIAL OILS. Stir! Stir! Stir those oils in well!

Step 6) Glop Your Soap into the Soap Mold

This is three pound of soap, so please be sure you have a soap mold large enough! If you have a kind of "bread top" on your soap, that's ok. Hot process soap is not as smooth or beautiful (some think) as cold process soap. I always have a kind of curved bread top---I just cut it off later and use it for myself.

Using a clean wooden spoon, glop your soap into the soap mold. I generally will drop the mold filled with soap on the counter a few times (or press, press, press with my soap spoon) to be sure any air pockets are pressed out.

Step 7) Let it Cool Down

Walk away, here. Just give it several hours to completely cool down.

Step 8) Unmold and Cut (If You Want)

Now, it's time to cut the top off (if you want) and take your soap loaf out of the mold. You can slice it or leave it in the loaf soap.

I always just take what I'm going to use and leave the loaf alone. This is because it will cure nicely while retaining the fragrance of the essential oils SO much better than if it's cut.

Here are two Mystic Soaps in the afternoon sun. Aren't they beautiful? I wish you could smell them!

I love making my own soap! I know what's going in it--and therefore into my body through my skin! I love the creative process! I love making it "be" the way I want it to be! Or, making it be the way others' ask me to make it! lol

Do you make your own soap? Do you have questions? I had a TON of questions and fears when I first started making soap! I sometimes still do! Please share!

Hugs & Self-Reliance!

Heidi

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Hi. I'm Heidi. I am a mid-life homesteader/teacher-turned-blogger! We live off-grid on less than an acre with lots of animals... READ MORE....

Have you ever wanted to make your own natural soap...the way YOU want it? Or, to experiment with the hot process method? Here is everything you need to know...You won't have any questions about hot process soap making and customizing your soaps once you read my eBook!

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